Finding Main Idea

What is main idea?

Everything you read has a topic-reports, newspaper articles, encyclopedia entries, and so on. Many TV show also have a topic, such as a science program or history documentary. The main idea of a newspaper article or a documentary tells the most important idea about the topic.

Try these:

* Write the name of a scirnce program, documentary, or similar show you watched recently.

* Write three important things that happened in the show.

* Write a sentence that tells what the show was mostly about.

                                                 YOU JUST WROTE ABOUT MAIN IDEA!

How do you find the main idea?

You can find the main idea of most reading passages in the first or last sentence of the passage. Read the passage below.

" When most people think about advances in technology, they think about high-speed computers or cell phones. We often forget that ancient people made imporatnt advances as well. They discovered fire, invented the wheel, and created the first calendars. The advances of our ancestors laid the foundation for the innovations to come."

* Think about the topic of the passage.

* The topic of the passage is advances in technology.

* Now think about the most imporatne idea about the topic.

Look at the following sentences below. They tell about the main idea, but they do not tell the most important idea in the passage. So, let's try to write the main idea!

- When most people think about advances in technology, they think about high-speed computers or cell phones.

- We often forget that ancient people made imporatnt advances as well.

- They discovered fire, invented the wheel, and created the first calendars.

The main idea of the passage is The advances of our ancestors laid the foundation for the innovations to come.

Reading activity:

Nok Air Airline

P1) At Nok Air, we put much of our efforts to understand the needs and demands of passengers how complex they may be. Nok Air is a new low-cost airline registered under Nok Airlines Co., Ltd. It is a joint venture between public and private investors. Nok is Thai for “bird”. It is a short, simple and easy to remember name that all Thais can relate to.

P2) As for our goal, we aim to touch all our passengers with our friendly Nok Culture. At Nok Air we make a great effort to understand the needs and demands of passengers no matter how complex they may be. As a result we hope to give passengers a level of service that is beyond their expectations.

P3) Secondly, Nok Air would like to offer the freedom for everyone to have flying as an option, as a means of transport. In order to achieve this, we try to understand consumer behavior, and how we can make flying as easy and convenient for them as possible.

P4) Lastly, Nok Air holds safety at the heart of the operation. Nok Air aircraft operations comply fully with the same safety standard as Thai Airways International. Its current aircraft are all newly leased from Thai Airways with highly experienced cockpit crews.

P5) In terms of flights operation, Nok Air is flying to all parts of Thailand, with Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Udon Thani, Hat Yai, Phuket, Krabi, Trang, and Nakhon Si Thammarat. We also offer connection routes between Chiang Mai - Udon Thani, Chiang Mai – Mae Hong Son, and Hat Yai – Phuket. To offer you more convenient, we joined with SGA (Siam General Aviation) to fly 3 new routes between Chiang Mai – Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai – Pai, and Bangkok – Hua Hin. Since November 2007, we start our Bangkok - Hanoi (Vietnam) flight.

P6) The price of the air tickets will be competitive with other low cost airlines in the market. With this strategy, Nok Air hopes to be able to give those who have never flown before, a convenient and desirable means of transportation. At the same time, we offer the chance to those that already are enthusiastic travelers, the opportunity to travel even more often. For these reasons, we at Nok Air, hope that we are the choice for you whenever you travel.

a. Which paragraph contains these main ideas? 

Paragraph ………….…….:

Nok Air hopes to be able to give those who have never flown   before, a convenient and desirable means of transportation

Paragraph ……………….:

Nok Air aircraft operations comply fully with the same safety standard as Thai Airways International.

Paragraph ……………….:

Nok Air is a new low-cost airline registered under Nok Airlines Co.,Ltd. It is a joint venture between public and private investors.

Paragraph ……………….:

Nok Air would like to offer the freedom for everyone to have flying as an option, as a means of transport.

Paragraph ……………….:

Nok Air aims to touch all  passengers with friendly Nok Culture.

b.  Match for meaning the numbers on the left with the letters on the right hand column. 

Terms	meanings
1. demand	a. tactic, methods
2. joint venture	b. habit, disposition, qualification,
3. route	c. request, call, claim
4. strategy	d. hope, anticipate
5. operation	e. a person invest in business
6. investor	f. combine, unite ; junction ; articulation
7. behavior	g. join
8. expectation	h. way, course, road
9. connection	i. contend, contest
10. competitive	j. work, management

C. complete the following sentences

1. Nok Air registered under ..........................................................

2. The goals of Nok Air are ..........................................................

3. The new fight routes are ...........................................................

4. The strategy of Nok Air is .........................................................